Introduced in 1992, school league tables had the purpose to inform parents about attendance rates and pass-rates in public exams. The Labour party wanted to give the parents the possibility to see the difference between the schools and to assess their choices realistically. The school league tables include data about achievement and attainment from different sources, for example the Sats, the GCSE and the A-Level qualifications. School league tables can give snapshot of the average attainment in exams, depending on the measure used to draw it up. But it is not always easy to interpret the available data.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- What are league tables?
- What information do they include and how are they drawn up?
- Arguments for school league tables
- Arguments against school league tables
- Future of the school league tables
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This academic essay provides an overview of school league tables in England, exploring their composition, advantages, and disadvantages. It aims to inform the reader about the data included in these tables and the various methods used to compile them, ultimately offering a perspective on their future development.
- Definition and historical context of school league tables
- Data sources and methodologies used in creating league tables
- Arguments supporting and opposing the use of school league tables
- Different interpretations and limitations of league table data
- Potential future developments and trends in school league tables
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Chapter 1: What are league tables? This chapter introduces school league tables, tracing their origin and explaining their initial purpose: to inform parents about school performance and aid in school selection. It highlights the increased availability of school performance data compared to previous years.
Chapter 2: What information do they include and how are they drawn up? This chapter details the data sources used to create league tables, including Key Stage 2 tests, GCSEs, and A-Levels. It critically examines the various methods used to compile rankings, highlighting inconsistencies and potential biases in different approaches (e.g., focusing on top grades only, different averaging methods). It also discusses the inconsistent treatment of A-level "General Studies" results.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
School league tables, school performance, exam results, data analysis, educational policy, GCSEs, A-Levels, Key Stage 2, public examinations, educational attainment, ranking methodologies.
- Quote paper
- B.A. Stefan Groitl (Author), 2011, School League Tables - Advantages, Disadvantages and the Future Development, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/181628
